Maria’s World – Precious Art By Precious People

Merry Christmas

December 10, 2015December 9, 2015Maria Libera Vallone8 Comments

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FullSizeRender (4) — “MERRY CHRISTMAS” is an original watercolor painting by Dwight Hamsley, resident of the Granite State, New Hampshire. Dwight is a Quadriplegic from an injury after falling from a tree. Dwight paints with the restricted use of his hands and holds a brush between his knuckles. This greeting card was reproduced from an original artwork by Dwight Hamsley for THASC Sales Co. of Margate, FL. THASC has employed a unique group of handicapped artists who create art to help rehabilitate themselves. They gain self-respect and pride through their artwork.

Dwight’s painting of “MERRY CHRISTMAS” depicts a lovely variety of Christmas ornaments as seem very familiar now, but Christmas ornaments have a long history dating back to the 16th century in Germany where apples and nuts were used to decorate the evergreens. It was more of a community practice at that time, but Christmas trees moved inside around the 18th century and pears were also added. In 1605 paper roses and candles were added to the indoor setting with the high point coming from the added tinsel, or “icicles” in 1610, which was originally made with pure silver. Their German creators called them “angel hair”. In the 1800’s the tradition of Christmas trees began to penetrate American homes. Americans used long strands of popcorn or cranberries to encircle their trees.

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Tree with popcorn and cranberries & tree with tinsel

FullSizeRender (1) — *glass blown ornaments*

In the mid 1800’s, Germans mass-produced ornaments that were strictly for Christmas. The area surrounding Lauscha was the center of the glass making and Germany soon captured the world market in glass Christmas ornaments. The earliest ones were natural shapes, but it was not long that the round glass ball took over as more popular. In 1840 in the UK, Queen Victoria put up a decorated tree in the royal palace as a gift to Prince Albert, her German-born husband. This caused great excitement in England and America.

FullSizeRender (6) The founder of Woolworth’s Five and Dime stores, F.W. Woolworth, imported German glass ornaments into the States in the 1880’s and in ten years, it is said, he was selling $25 million worth of them! It should be noted that up until WWI almost all glass Christmas ornaments were made in Germany. But with anti-German sentiment in the States, the German monopoly over this market was broken. Japan and the Czech Republic entered the competition. In the late 30’s and with WWII looming, F.W. Woolworth, together with businessman Max Eckhardt, persuaded the Corning Company of New York to make American glass ornaments and by 1940 Corning was making 300,000 a day!

For baby boomers like me, the main sources for ornaments were still F.W. Woolworth and its competitors Kresge and Neisner’s. There were other places, like Macy’s and Gimbel’s, but they didn’t have the purchasing power of Woolworth’s who could sell them for 10 or 20 cents. After WWII, production of baubles in Lauscha stopped. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall only 20 glass-blowing firms are still active today there.

Injection molding allowed formerly round ornaments to have indentations, allowing shapes of movie stars to be greatly sold. Hallmark began its Keepsake Collection in 1973 and soon after came the flood of ornaments from national chains, like McDonald’s.

FullSizeRender (3) — Hallmark Keepsake Collection: Marilyn Monroe “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”

I personally love the type of round glass ornament that THASC artist Dwight Hamsley has painted. Among my “thousand” souvenirs resurrected from my basement is my favorite ornament passed down from my Mom and Dad’s trees from the 50’s and 60’s and used for decades after that. It’s a bright fuchsia color, which simply says “Merry Christmas “ on it. It already has taken its prime position right up front on my tree. They don’t make them like that anymore!

Hope you are all busy with Holiday shopping and decorating this weekend as we draw closer and closer to our special celebrations.

I want to thank the THASC family and my editor for allowing me to share my blogs about these precious artists with you every week. I’m wishing you all Happy Holidays and a peaceful 2016

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Holiday Lights

December 8, 2015December 8, 2015Maria Libera Vallone6 Comments

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There are other holidays besides Christmas when candles and lights are used in diverse ways as THASC artist Celia Casper suggests in her painting. For example, they are also used during the Jewish Festival of Lights, which also usually falls in winter. This festival is called Hanukkah, which lasts for eight days when a candle is lit each night in a special candelabra called a “menorah.” The ninth candleholder, or “shamesh” (meaning: helper), placed above or below the others, is used to light them all each day. The lights should burn at least one half hour after dark after being blessed the first night.

Another modern winter festival called “Kwanzaa” uses seven candles (called the mishumaa) placed in a special candleholder called a “kinara.” Kwanzaa’s seven candles represent the Seven Principles. During the weeklong festival of Kwanzaa the candles which are placed on the kinara are: three red on the left, three green on the right and a single black candle in the center. These are the symbolic colors of the holiday. The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa are: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith.

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kinara

The custom of placing lighted candles in the windows at Christmas came to America with the Irish in the early nineteeth century and spread throughout the country. Even now electric candles and lights are seen in homes and in places of business. The custom of the Christmas candle still maintains its original pattern in a few countries. For example, in Ireland the mother or father of the family lights a large candle on Christmas Eve while the family prays for their loved ones, both the living and the dead. The Ukrainians do not use candlesticks, but stick the large candle in a loaf of bread called “kolach.”

In Austria, Switzerland and Bavaria, Christmas fires are burned at the summits of the Alps. The farmers carry lanterns down the mountains into the valley for Midnight Mass at the parish church with each lantern shining and glowing on Christmas Eve. In England, the tradition of the “Yule Log” has survived in many homes in which a huge log was specially selected to burn both during Holy Night and Christmas Day.

In the States, candles are connected to Christmas when placed in windows, stemming back to the symbolic gesture of providing shelter for travelers, as is reflected in the Christmas story of Mary and Joseph not finding shelter on the night of the birth of Jesus.

Whatever holiday lights you will be celebrating this year and whatever their origins, THASC artist Celia Casper has provided a diverse depiction in her painting “HOLIDAY LIGHTS,” which shows us that we all do have a common bond when it comes to celebrating the holidays, whether it be candles, fire, bread or wood.

Wishing you all continued happiness and rejoicing during this wonderful season.

I’ll be back on Thursday with another great THASC artist.

See you then.

-Maria
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THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Glow of Hope

December 3, 2015December 3, 2015Maria Libera Vallone6 Comments

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I am more than delighted to have my friend, THASC artist, Joyce Nielsen, adorn the pages of my blog once again. I often correspond with Joyce and she was very happy and proud to hear that I would be writing about her painting this week. Holly is commonly seen at holiday time, especially as a Christmas decoration used in wreaths and Christmas cards, like Joyce’s. The origin of the name “holly” means “prickly” and its use goes back to ancient times. The Druids hung it over doorways to ward off evil spirits. They regarded holly as the symbol of fertility and eternal life. They also believed that cutting down a holly tree would bring bad luck. The Romans identified holly with Saturn, the god of harvest, and during the feast of Saturnalia, they “decked the halls with boughs of holly.”

Holly bushes in front of my house

Holly leaves have sharp ends and a waxy texture and have male and female reproductive entities on separate plants. Only female plants can produce berries and it can only happen if a male plant is near to fulfill the process of pollination. Bees help transfer the pollen from male to female plants. Although the berries are toxic to humans, birds like thrushes thrive on them and scatter their seeds for the new holly plants to grow. Holly wood (NOT Hollywood!) is hard and excellent for carving chess pieces. Holly is known for its vivid red berries but it is also supposed to bring males good luck and protection. Ivy is the female counterpart to holly.

holly and mistletoe

You can also notice white berries and mistletoe in Joyce’s painting. The mistletoe, common to North America and used as a Christmas decoration, grows as a parasite on trees. In Europe it was also hung above house and stable doors to prevent the entrance of witches. Like holly, it was considered to bestow fertility. Kissing under mistletoe is first found with the festival of Saturnalia and with primitive marriage rites. The English invented the “kissing ball” under which a young lady could not refuse to be kissed because it could signify deep romance. Otherwise she could not expect to marry the next year. In France, mistletoe was reserved for the New Year, but today kissing is done throughout the holiday season.

The beautiful aura of candlelight in Joyce’s painting has not been extinguished. Especially in these times of uncertainty in the world, it gives great significance to all of us that hope is alive and well and living among us. Thank you for another meaningful painting, my friend.

This greeting card and other holiday cards are available at www.thasc.com.

Continue to enjoy your holiday season and I’ll see you next Tuesday when we take a look at “HOLIDAY LIGHTS.”

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Nutcrackers

December 1, 2015November 30, 2015Maria Libera Vallone2 Comments

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Rabbit, Rabbit, everyone! The beginning of another month and the last of this year, 2015. Incredible how the year has flown and now we enter the thick of Holiday season and what better represents Christmas: the diverse Nutcrackers so beautifully designed by THASC artist Janice Peroni. When most of us think about the Nutcracker, we think about the novel “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice” by E.T. Amadeus Hoffman. It was rewritten for children by French novelist Alexandre Dumas in 1851 and this lighter version became the basis of Tchaikovsky’s outstanding “Nutcracker Suite” which debuted as a ballet in 1892. This was a more optimistic story of a little girl named Clara who dreams of being rescued by the German nutcracker Prince who saves her from the evil Mouse King by killing the King and taking Clara to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy where they are crowned the rulers of the Land of Sweets. The Nutcracker wasn’t widely performed until the mid-twentieth century, when it became a distinctly American hit. It also helped that the ballet’s appeal as a story that has nothing to do with theology, or Baby Jesus, but the Christmas themes have to do with the festivities of the holiday.

According to German legend, it was a puppet maker who helped a farmer to crack walnuts on his tree by making a wooden puppet painted with bright colors and had strong jaws to crack the walnuts. According to the folklore, he was rewarded with his own workshop. It is said that nutcrackers bring good luck and protect the house. The origin of the nutcrackers comes from the Erzgebirge region of Germany starting in the 1700’s due to the metal depletion in mines and the over abundance of wood. It takes 130 steps to create this piece of art including cutting, shaping, hand-turning, automatic lathe, polishing and drilling, priming and spraying, carving and painting.

All the painting is done freehand and each color dries before the next is applied. The German nutcracker is a unique craft because they were designed after the ruling class and authoritative figures that existed throughout Europe and Germany for centuries. This was unusual because German nutcrackers represented the people’s dissatisfaction with the ruling class.

Limited edition nutcracker, King Ludwig II

Military, King, and Police Nutcrackers

One wonders why they don’t have smiles on their face? The reason was because the people who made them put their everyday hardships into their creations: their hard lives, their bad working conditions and their poor pay. Common people enjoyed them because it reduced the rulers to nothing more than crackers of nuts than powerful officials with teeth-bearing grins. The most popular nutcrackers still remain in the form of kings and soldiers although today some represent the playful forms of the common man.

Collecting nutcrackers in the U.S. began in the early 1950’s, when soldiers who returned home from World War II brought these figures of protection to their families. For over 200 years, the Steinbach family has been producing these fine wooden figures. Herr Christian Steinbach was responsible for raising the nutcracker to a different level by introducing nutcrackers from different areas of the world. He also developed a limited edition of 3000 pieces of King Ludwig II, which greatly increased their value.

It should be mentioned that THASC artist Janice Peroni captures the “cycle of life” in her painting NUTCRACKERS, showing the nuts and their seeds falling to the ground, which will eventually grow into strong trees. These trees would nourish the woodcrafters for hundreds of years and ultimately pass their seeds on to the collectors of these extraordinarily designed wooden pieces for eternity.

We will continue our collection of Holiday greeting cards on Thursday and remember, all THASC products are available for purchase at www.thasc.com

Enjoy the season!

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Teton Mountain Encampment

November 26, 2015November 25, 2015Maria Libera Vallone6 Comments

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What a magnificent painting THASC artist Eddie Two Bulls has given us. The powerful pinnacles of the Teton Mountain Range form a perfect backdrop for the beautiful teepees at their base and the serenity of Jenny Lake, which surrounds them. The Tetons are a range of the Rocky Mountains which lie on the Wyoming western border with Idaho, just south of Yellowstone National Park. The Range, which is 40 miles long, is the youngest range in the Rockies and perhaps some of the youngest in the world. While granite comprises many of the central peaks, the geological process, which led to their current composition of the oldest rocks found there, began about 2.5 billion years ago. Eddie Two Bulls’ dramatic precision in depicting the pinnacles of the Tetons main summit, referred to at times as the Cathedral Group, gives credence to the range once being called “Teewinot”, or “many pinnacles”, by the Shoshone people. The Grand Teton, or highest peak, soars to 13, 770 feet. Unlike many mountain ranges, the east side of the Tetons lacks lower peaks, which can obstruct the view.

Grand Teton National Park is located just 10 miles south of Yellowstone and encompasses 310,000 acres. In 1929 President Calvin Coolidge approved the original smaller park (96,000 acres), which protected the Teton Range and six glacial lakes, but not Jackson Hole.

Ignoring public approval to expand the national park, President Franklin Roosevelt created the Jackson Hole National Monument in 1943. After many years of fighting over the proclamation, finally in 1950, the national monument was added to the original park and it was finally re-established in 1950.

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Glaciers have given the Grand Tetons their unparalleled character and there are still twelve small glaciers in the Grand Tetons as well as six lakes: Phelps, Taggart, Jenny, Bradley, Leigh and Jackson. The largest glacier is Teton Glacier found on the north side of the Grand Teton peak. The powerful Snake River originates in Yellowstone Park and takes a rest in Jackson Lake where you can find abundant birdlife and wildlife including elk, moose, bison antelope, black bear, and grizzly. Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans (the largest waterfowl in America) and the smallest bird in North America, (the hummingbird) can both be seen throughout the area. Marmots, beaver and coyotes are also numerous.

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Wildlife and wildflowers along Snake River

FullSizeRender (7) — John Colter by Gerry Metz

The first recorded American to see the Tetons was America’s first mountain man, John Colter, a member of the Louis and Clark expedition, in 1807. A human head-shaped stone found in Idaho in 1931 is engraved with “John Colter” and “1808”. Colter was also the first American to see the Yellowstone. The Grand Tetons served as helpful landmarks for the region during the mountain men era because they are visible from so far away.

The Grand Teton National Park ranks with ten other national parks by welcoming over 2.5 million people each year. Eddie Two Bulls majestic painting attests to the fact that in spite of its size, in comparison to Yellowstone, and Yellowstone’s historic significance, seeing the Tetons rise out of Jackson Hole, makes you realize how nothing dominates these soaring peaks. What a beautiful vision of our abundant country on this Thanksgiving Day!

Have a wonderful holiday and weekend!
See you Tuesday.

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Christmas Bounty

November 24, 2015November 23, 2015Maria Libera Vallone5 Comments

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Once again THASC artist Donna Cushman graces this blog with another spectacular painting. Her work is even more astounding when you think that she paints with a brush in her mouth. This card has the elements of Thanksgiving and Christmas with the cornucopia overflowing with fresh fruit and surrounded by holly and holly berries, all depicted in captivating bright colors.

The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, comes from two Latin words: Cornu meaning “horn” and Copiae meaning “abundance or plenty.” We usually associate the cornucopia as the symbol of Thanksgiving in North America. In olden times, it referred to a horn-shaped basket filled with vegetables and fruits and sometimes garnished with flowers, as we see the poinsettias in Donna’s painting. The origins of the horn are found in two legends of Greek mythology. One version is the legend of Amalthea and Zeus, the powerful god who from infancy was raised on the milk of the goat Amalthea (“Nourishing Goddess”). One day, the strong, future king of the gods, accidentally broke off one of her horns. Regretfully, he ensured her to always fill the horn with whatever she wished: eternal abundance. Zeus also placed Amalthea among the constellations in the heavens.

Another version of the legend is that of Hercules, son of Zeus, who battles Achelous, the river god, to win the river nymph Deianira, daughter of King Oeneus. To win the contest, Achelous transformed himself into a bull, but Hercules was too strong and ripped off one of his horns. Deianira and Hercules kept Achelous’s horn and filled it with flowers and fruits at their own wedding.

Today the cornucopia is usually a horn-shaped wicker basket filled with festive fruits, vegetables and nuts. In the book and film series The Hunger Games, the cornucopia is filled with weapons and marks the starting point of the Games. The Cornucopia is also used today as a symbol on the Idaho, Wisconsin and Peru flags. Donna Cushman reminds us that the cornucopia is much more than a pretty decoration at Holiday time, but also a reminder of America’s gratitude for the good things life has given us.

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Wisconsin and Idaho State Flags

Wishing all of THASC’s artists, my readers and my THASC family, a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving Day.

See you on Thursday.

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Holiday Spirit

November 19, 2015November 15, 2015Maria Libera ValloneLeave a comment

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“HOLIDAY SPIRIT” is an original acrylic painting by Gertrude Dorman Doll, resident of the Blue Grass State, Kentucky. Paralyzed by Polio, Gertrude has the use of her lower arms and hands to paint. This greeting card was reproduced from an original artwork by Gertrude Dorman Doll for THASC Sales Co. of Margate, FL. THASC has employed a unique group of handicapped artists who create art to help rehabilitate themselves. They gain self-respect and pride through their artwork. — “HOLIDAY SPIRIT” is an original acrylic painting by Gertrude
Dorman Doll, resident of the Blue Grass State, Kentucky. Paralyzed by Polio, Gertrude has the use of her lower arms and hands to paint. This greeting card was reproduced from an original artwork by Gertrude Dorman Doll for THASC Sales Co. of Margate, FL. THASC has employed a unique group of handicapped artists who create art to help rehabilitate themselves. They gain self-respect and pride through their artwork.

While walking today through Garden City Shopping Center which is adjacent to the street where I live in Garden City, I noticed that all the trees and shrubs that line the center are already laden with holiday lights. There are wreaths on all the street lamps and Santa’s House is ready to pop open next week. When did this all happen? Is it me or has this year just flown by? THASC artist Gertrude Dorman Doll’s lively depiction of “HOLIDAY SPIRIT” certainly brings us to the realization that we are here again! Stores are crowded with holiday shoppers and sales galore while the parking lots everywhere are filled with cars and trucks. What I love so much about Gertrude’s painting is we see yet another means of transportation: the cable car which is among San Francisco’s most popular attractions.

In 1869 after witnessing a horrible accident in which 5 horses were dragged to their deaths by the weight of a heavy streetcar, combined with his experience with the use of wire-rope for pulling heavy ore cars out of mines, Andrew Smith Hallidie became the driving force behind the San Francisco cable car system. The cars were invented in 1873 and dominated public transit for 30 years. After the 1906 earthquake, many cable cars were replaced by electric streetcars; they survived it all to become the first moving National Historic Landmark in 1964. Between 1982 and 1984, the cable car system was rebuilt and the cars were renovated. In 1998, the first female grip operator, Fannie Mae Barnes, operated a cable car after developing upper body strength to control the grip and brakes. Today the cable cars’ continued operation is locked into San Francisco’s City Charter.

Dominating the background of Gertrude’s “Holiday Spirit” painting is the
big department store where so many folks especially in New York City get to shop. They also admire the decorated store windows so famous at stores like Macy’s, Bergdoff Goodman and Bloomindales to name a few. At the age of 36, Rowland Hussey Macy launched the R. H. Macy & Company store in 1858. He adopted a red star from a tattoo he received as a teenager from his days as a sailor and used as a symbol of his success. Macy’s was the first retailer to promote a woman, Margaret Getchell, to an executive, making executive history. Macy’s was also the first retailer to have a New York City’s liquor license. From 1924 to 2009 Macy’s was the largest department store in the world with over 2.2 million square feet. In 2009, South Korea opened a store chain Shinsegae of almost 3.16 million square feet. After Macy died, the store moved to Herald Square and was sold for $1,000,000 in 1911 and still has several wooden escalators in operation. The company went public in 1922 and Macy’s immigrant employees organized the first Christmas parade in 1924. In 1945 the company expanded west and purchased the Union Square store in San Francisco which opened in 1966. In 1978 Macy’s in Herald Square was added as a National Historic Landmark to the National Register. The New York City store has ten floors and there are almost 800 stores now worldwide. As we can see the displays also in the store windows of Gertrude’s painting, each year, thousands of people flock to see Macy’s elaborate animated holiday window displays, presenting a different theme each year.
Here are some from over the years:

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No matter what large city or small town in which you reside, THASC artist Gertrude Dorman Doll has brought inspiration to all of us in her joyful greeting card “HOLIDAY SPIRIT” with the same wreaths and lanterns and lights that I see in my own neighborhood.

Have an exciting weekend as we prepare for our traditional national holiday,
Thanksgiving.

See you on Tuesday.

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Gingerbread House

November 17, 2015November 15, 2015Maria Libera Vallone2 Comments

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‘GINGERBREAD HOUSE” is an original acrylic painting by Melfred Teller, resident of the Natural State, Arkansas. Melfred was born with ROP or Retinopathy of Primaturity. He is blind in his left eye and almost in his right. Melfred is a Native American from the Navajo Tribe. This greeting card was reproduced from an original artwork by Melfred Teller for THASC Sales Co. of Margate, FL. THASC has employed a unique group of handicapped artists who create art to help rehabilitate themselves. They gain self-respect and pride through their artwork.

Who doesn’t LOVE gingerbread? A gingerbread house can be anything from a castle to a small cabin, as depicted in THASC artist Melfred Teller’s decorative painting of his happy house in the mountains. The roof tiles usually consist of frosting (snow) or candy. His has both including peppermint stick window shutters. His yard is also decorated with sparkling icing, and candy even rises to the sky!

Gingerbread dates back to 11th century Europe when crusaders brought back the spice from the Middle East. Because it seemed to have preservative qualities, ginger was used to prolong shelf life in breads.

Some people believe that the actual gingerbread house is connected to the popular fairy tale started in the 1800’s in Germany called “Hansel and Gretel” by the Brothers Grimm in which a brother and sister, hungry and lost in a forest, find a gingerbread house and, after nibbling on the edible house, are caught by the witch who lived there. They finally escape and bake the witch who wanted first to bake them. After the book was published, the Germans are credited with bringing gingerbread to America and the tradition of making gingerbread houses in the United States began.

Gingerbread today contains ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom and is sweetened with a combination of molasses, brown sugar and honey. They are generally served around Christmas time. It should be noted that in England, the gingerbread biscuits, which commonly take the form of a gingerbread man, were first credited to Queen Elizabeth I, who had the gingerbread figures made into the images of important guests and dignitaries who came to her court.

Making gingerbread houses is still a way of celebrating Christmas in many families. Other sweets made with ginger survived in colonial North America and even today are called ginger snap cookies which you can still find on your grocer’s shelves.

THASC artist Melfred Teller has created a lovely greeting card which is sure to whet our appetite for sweets this holiday season. Even William Shakespeare in his “Love’s Labor’s Lost” says, “And I had but one penny in the world, thou should’st have it to buy gingerbread.”

See you on Thursday.

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Poinsettias and Pears

November 12, 2015November 11, 2015Maria Libera Vallone2 Comments

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“POINSETTIAS AND PEARS” is an original watercolor painting by Donna Cushman, resident of the Constitution State, Connecticut. Donna is a Quadriplegic, and she paints with a brush held in her mouth. This greeting card was reproduced from an original artwork by Donna Cushman for THASC Sales Co. of Margate, FL. THASC has employed a unique group of handicapped artists who create art to help rehabilitate themselves. They gain self-respect and pride through their artwork.

Perhaps not many of you knew that one month from today is National Poinsettia Day: December 12, 2015. We’ll take a brief look at its history shortly. There’s no denying now that we are inching toward the holiday season, and what a beautiful way of introducing us to two close associates to Christmas, FullSizeRender (2) “Poinsettias and Pears”, than THASC artist Donna Cushman’s lovely watercolor. What appears to us to be flower petals are actually leaves which often are bright red, but can be pale green (as are Donna’s), white, pink or orange. The colors require darkness (12 hours at a time for 5 or more days in a row) to change color. For the brightest color, the plants require ample light in daytime.

Poinsettias were named for the first ambassador to Mexico and amateur botanist who introduced the plant to the United States, Joel Roberts Poinsett. In 1825 he brought some cuttings to his plantation in Greenwood, South Carolina. When he died in 1851, December 12 was set aside as National Poinsettia Day to honor him and the plant he made famous so people could enjoy this symbol of holiday cheer.

Poinsettias are native to Mexico where they grow wild. The association of this winter flower with Christmas comes from a Mexican legend which began in 16th century on a Christmas Eve. A little girl named Pepita was too poor to present a gift to the Christ child, so her cousin Pedro urged her to get a modest gift. On her way to church she gathered weeds from the roadside. As she placed them in front of the church altar, a miracle took place as the weeds blossomed into bright flowers. They then called them “Flores de Noche Buena” or “Flowers of the Holy Night”. Once considered symbols of purity, today red, white or pink poinsettias, the December birth flower, represent happiness, success and are said to bring enjoyment and celebration.

Donna’s placement of the succulent green d’Anjou pears is a perfect blend to the watercolor as they compliment the pale green poinsettia leaves. Green d’Anjou’s will remain green even when they are fully ripe. Although pears of all types have a popular relationship with the winter holidays, the Comice is popularly known as the “Christmas Pear”. They are among the sweetest and juiciest of all pears and are found in many holiday gift boxes. What a perfect combination for this lovely greeting card, flowers and fruit, don’t you think? In fact it would make an even lovelier holiday card which you can purchase at www.thasc.com

Have a wonderful weekend. A great time to select your THASC holiday cards!
See you next Tuesday and Thursday with more holiday and winter images from our talented THASC artists.

Please leave a comment below and check back for my reply! Thanks!

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

The Amazon

November 10, 2015November 9, 2015Maria Libera Vallone6 Comments

By: “THE AMAZON” is an original oil painting by Jeanne Cadman, resident of the Sunshine State, Florida. As Jeanne finished high school, she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease that causes total and permanent blindness. Jeanne plans to continue to paint as long as she is able to place paint on canvas. This greeting card was reproduced from an original artwork by Jeanne Cadman for THASC Sales Co. of Margate, FL. THASC has employed a unique group of handicapped artists who create art to help rehabilitate themselves. They gain self-respect and pride through their artwork. — By:
“THE AMAZON” is an original oil painting by Jeanne Cadman, resident of the Sunshine State, Florida. As Jeanne finished high school, she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease that causes total and permanent blindness. Jeanne plans to continue to paint as long as she is able to place paint on canvas. This greeting card was reproduced from an original artwork by Jeanne Cadman for THASC Sales Co. of Margate, FL. THASC has employed a unique group of handicapped artists who create art to help rehabilitate themselves. They gain self-respect and pride through their artwork.

The striking detail and color in Jeanne’s painting is among the most beautiful I have ever seen. You are immediately captured by the colorful macaws that draw you into the Amazon basin and the thickness of the canopy of branches and leaves of the tropical trees. Along with its stunning tropical flowers, we get a glimpse of the Amazon River, over 4,000 miles long, and second longest in the world only to the Nile. The Amazon, found in South America (over half is located in Brazil), is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, covering over 1.4 billion acres.

FullSizeRender (4) The landscape contains 2.6 million square miles in the Amazon basin (about 40% of South America). Along with the millions of plant, fish, mammal, reptile, bird, butterfly and insect species, as well as the Earth’s last shelters for jaguars who require large areas of the rain forest to survive, the Amazon is also home to 400-500 native tribes. Some believe that about 50 of these tribes have never had contact with the outside world!

Macaws are the largest of all parrots and are noticeable by their brilliantly colored plumage. The macaws have gripping toes they use to latch onto branches. Two of their toes point forward, as you can see in the painting, and two point backward. They can grab food with their toes and bring it up to their mouth. They have beautiful, graceful tails that in some cases are longer than their bodies. Macaws are intelligent and social birds with loud calls and squawks used to identify one another. Some can even mimic human speech (“Polly want a cracker?”). Flocks sleep in trees, and, with their pointed wings, are able to fly swiftly and for long distances.

They have large, powerful hooked beaks that easily crack nuts and seeds. Macaws mate for life and share food and groom each other. The mothers take care of the eggs while the fathers hunt for food. Because they are playful birds, they have become popular pets (many are trapped illegally), which is one of the reasons they are on the endangered species list.

FullSizeRender (5) There is a clear connection between the health of the planet and the health of the Amazon. Because the rich vegetation here takes carbon dioxide out of the air and releases oxygen back in, this area is referred to as “the lungs of the Earth”. The Amazon produces more than 20% of the world’s oxygen!

THASC artist Jeanne Cadman has transported us to a place that is for the most part untouched and undiscovered by the rest of the outside world. The beauty of her intricate detail is captivating and she possesses a creative talent so rare that we all hope she will be painting for a very long time.

Jeanne’s greeting card and all other THASC products are available for purchase at www.thasc.com

Please join me again on Thursday and don’t forget to leave me a comment. Thanks!

-Maria

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com